VIER - IIII
The underground supergroup VIER has burst onto the scene with one of the best-sounding bass music albums you'll probably hear this decade, and honestly, they might keep that crown for a while. The title of "supergroup" is meant to be a little tongue-in-cheek, but I think it fits. The group consists of Thys, Machinedrum, Holly, and Salvador Breed, all talented in their own right, which makes this alliance stand out. VIER managed to knit the pillars of musicality, sound design, and production together much like an 84-year-old grandma creating a scarf for their grandkids at Christmas. It's done with care, love and years of experience.
To begin, the sound design on IIII (2025) is top-notch. The key to good sound design is that it creates a mood, but almost more importantly, it describes space. I mean, don't get me wrong, there's a place in this world for the Nike TN-sponsored bassline wobbles, and the often joked about jump-up squeaky chair synth. However, VIER's attempt to elevate the sound. The crew layer and stitch together unique sounds to create more organic sounds, as on the opener 'IS HIER'. Numbers are whispered into the microphone. These whispers are layered with a gurgling base, a little bit of white noise, and reverb creates space, while calling atmospheres develop a sense of purpose. This layering continues throughout, becoming a defining feature as layers of carefully selected sounds and effects are dragged, kicking and screaming, into a singular sound. It's this attention to detail and inclusion of organic sounds that help push the album artistically.
The sound design really shines because of the musicality that comes in spades. One of the defining features of the album is the lateral space that's afforded to each element. You will often hear every single repeat of an echo, tale of a reverb and each tap of percussion. This isn't merely down to good equalisation, it's considered. Rhythms dance between each other, finding pockets of space without overlapping or squishing each other. The production acumen required to craft a record like this should be quite obvious. Still, the restraints needed to implement and allow different elements to sit in the mix unimpaired should be marvelled at. For musical layers to work in tandem rather than clash, and for a cohesive, narrative structure to be implemented within "Bass music" has to be applauded.
I think this album will have wider repercussions for the state of bass music. If it gains traction, it might signal to producers that the audience wants more than a scientific approach to synthetics. The focus shouldn't be solely on exploring how far synthesisers can be pushed into sci-fi territory. However, there will always be an eager contingent out there striving for boundary-pushing sounds, and it has its place, for sure. VIER's demonstrate that melding sci-fi with emotion feels fresh, like on 'SOLAAR 42' for something quite intimate. The breakdowns allow the vocals to shine, while the strings add a cinematic quality. VIER's elevate the vocal with through effects and synthesis, all before the track drops back into a wobbly roller. Another favourite example of this is 'THE SOURCE', which combines nostalgic, sultry UK garage with a chaotic yet clean modern production style. IIII feels like the next step in the genre's evolution, where the rhythms within the percussion are somewhat reduced, while the whole drum pattern has taken on a skippier shuffle that feels quite original.
I find the most memorable moments on the album to be 'VAI PULANDO', which is more techno towards the end. The same can be said for 'QUEMA QUEAM and its donk-laden hard-techno rave aesthetics, which I think skirt the line between "piss take" and "proper good" perfectly. It's the right amount of outlandish to poke satirical fun at the hard dance crowd without being overly offensive. That being said, while all the tracks are incredibly well produced and most have an element of emotional tenderness, it is still incredibly hard to connect fully with the album.
"Bass" is a genre that prides itself on blowing people's minds and melting their faces, while its modern aesthetics produce moments of magic. Just listening to 'Where Were You' and tried to tell me that that's not dripping with early 2000's racer game, but overall they lack that uncanny pazaz found in more established genres. Although IIII sounds impressive, it's challenging to create memorable moments and relies on the aforementioned bass, making it hard to craft riffs you'll hum while walking down the street. That said, the breakdowns on this album are pure gold, and if they were incorporated more into the rest of the tracks, this would have a much broader appeal. I'll put this in the upper echelon of "Bass music".
Label: VISION (2025)
VIER - IIII
